Vehicle carrier

Abstract

A vehicle carrier employs a hydraulicly tiltable “I” beam centered on the rear of a truck type carrier. A first and second wheel carriers are carried by and independently translatable along the “I” beam. The “I” beam is tilted off of the horizontal and the first wheel carrier engages the front wheels of the vehicle to be transported that are located adjacent to the back of the carrier vehicle. The wheels are then lifted off the support surface by tilting the “I” beam toward the horizontal. The second wheel carrier is then translated under the first wheel carrier and then under the rear wheels. After the four wheels are engaged the “I” beam tilts back to the horizontal further to lifting all of the wheels off of the support surface. The first and second wheel carriers are then translated along the “I” beam to a position over the vehicle carrier the rear wheels. The first wheel carrier is carried by the upper surface of the “I” beam and the second wheel carrier for the engaging the rear wheels positioned remote from the back of the carrier vehicle is carried by the lower surface of the “I” beam.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A carrier vehicle for transporting a four-wheeled vehicle having a pair of spaced front wheels and a pair of spaced rear wheels, which comprises: 
       a transport bed for supporting said four-wheeled vehicle during transport thereof;  
       a beam extending along said transport bed, said beam having outwardly extending upper and lower flanges;  
       first and second wheel carrier assemblies each including connection means at distal ends for engaging front and rear wheels of a vehicle to be transported;  
       proximal ends of said first and second wheel carrier assemblies including roller means for engaging said flanges so that said first and second wheel carrier assemblies can move along said beam on a line substantially parallel to said beam;  
       drive means for independently moving said first and second wheel carrier assemblies along said beam; and  
       actuator means for tilting said beam to allow said means for engaging said front and rear wheels to be brought into engagement with said front and rear wheels;  
       whereby said drive means can pull said vehicle to be transported onto said transport bed for transport.  
     
     
       2. The carrier vehicle according to claim  1  wherein said beam has a distal end extending beyond said support bed to approach the surface upon which said carrier vehicle is supported. 
     
     
       3. The carrier vehicle according to claim  1  wherein said beam is pivotally secured to said support bed and said actuator means comprises at least one hydraulic actuator. 
     
     
       4. The carrier vehicle according to claim  1  wherein said drive means comprises an electric motor and a chain drive for each of said first and second wheel carrier assemblies. 
     
     
       5. The carrier vehicle according to claim  1  wherein said connection means each comprises generally U-shaped assemblies movable upon contact with a wheel into straddling engagement with that wheel. 
     
     
       6. The carrier vehicle according to claim  1  wherein each of said roller means comprises first rollers at said proximal wheel carrier end for engaging a lower surface of said corresponding flange and second rollers distal of said first rollers for engaging said an upper surface of said corresponding flange. 
     
     
       7. The carrier vehicle according to claim  6  wherein said flanges are displaced upwardly over a distal end portion so that a supported vehicle is moved toward said support bed when said vehicle is moved fully onto said support bed.